Go back to Dec. 30. That was the last Associated Press Top 25 poll of 2013 — before conference play truly got started and teams began to separate themselves. Normally, there’s a big turnover from that group of 25 to who is now left among the final 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Not this year.

Ten of the remaining 16 teams were ranked in the top 25 — four in the top 10. Two others, UCLA and Michigan, were in the receiving votes group. But there were four that weren’t even on the radar (Virginia, Tennessee, Stanford and Dayton) that now sit just 80 minutes from a berth in the Final Four next weekend in Texas.

And with the Sweet 16 unfolding this weekend at Madison Square Garden and in Indianapolis, Memphis, Tenn., and Anaheim, Calif., now is as good of a time as any to rank the teams still standing:
1. Florida FINAL FOUR LOCK

Seriously, did any team benefit more from the first weekend than the Gators? No team at this point in the tournament is a pushover, but Florida’s biggest test may be a good (but flawed) UCLA team that surrenders 70.1 points per game. After that, either a No. 10 or 11 seed standing in the way of the Final Four. And really only Michigan State would prove a threat to get to the title game. If Florida doesn’t make the Final Four, something went horribly wrong.
2. Arizona

Probably would’ve been the new No. 1 seed, if not for the Gators’ overwhelming defensive efforts in two games. The Wildcats are the only top seed to handily dispatch with both opponents.

3. Kentucky BIGGEST WILD CARD

Geez, who saw this coming? Maybe at the beginning of the season, sure, but now? No way. ... Yes, the Wichita State game was only one game, but that was how this young group of talented Wildcats was expected to play all season. The problem with Kentucky has been consistency, but this is a team that played exceptionally well against Louisville earlier this season.
4. Virginia

Think we should all be done underrating the Cavs now, huh? After a wobbly start against Coastal Carolina, Virginia punched Memphis in the mouth and knocked them out. Its defense should give the Spartans fits.

5. Michigan State

A little high? Perhaps. But the Spartans still remain the most dangerous team in the tournament outside of the top three lines. If wing Branden Dawson can give Tom Izzo’s group what he gave them against Harvard (26 points, nine rebounds), they’ll be fine.
6. Michigan

If we’re talking about the Wolverines that played in the first half against Texas in the round of 32, averaging an eye-popping 1.48 points per possession, then they’re the best team in the tournament. If we’re talking about the second-half version that struggled on the offensive glass, giving Longhorns life? We’re not sure.

7. Connecticut

Everything depends on Shabazz Napier. The Huskies are the only team left in the field that truly depends on the fortunes of one player. That can be good, as UConn found out a few years ago with Kemba Walker, or bad.
8. Tennessee BIGGEST RISE

Three weeks ago, this was a team on the fringe of the bubble. The Vols might be the sneakiest team left in the field. Getting past Iowa in overtime in the First Four might have been their toughest matchup until the Elite Eight. And with the way Tennessee grabs offensive rebounds (13.6 per game), it’s a major threat.

9. Baylor

No one has ever quibbled with the talent on Scott Drew’s roster. Mainly everyone wondered if Drew can stay out of his own way. Well, when you’ve wrecked Nebraska and Creighton by an average of 22 points, you don’t have to worry about coaching gaffes much.

10. Wisconsin

This isn’t the Badgers of old. This is an offensive beast: T-7 in points per possession (1.16), seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52), 10th in efficiency (116.1) and 24th in true shooting percentage (57.7). Need we say more?

11. UCLA

Maybe we’ve rated the Bruins too low. They beat Oregon, Stanford and Arizona to win the Pac-12 Tournament, which looks significantly more impressive now. And they handled Tulsa and Stephen F. Austin in the first two games. But can they deal with Florida’s defense?

12. Stanford

This is smelling like a classic case of under-seeding. Yes, Stanford was up and down this season, but it won at UConn, at Oregon and had close losses to Michigan, Arizona and Colorado. Perhaps, it just needed time.

13. Iowa State

Even without Georges Niang, this is still an offensive juggernaut. Granted, North Carolina plays matador defense, but scoring 85 without your third-leading scorer is pretty darn impressive.

14. Louisville BIGGEST FALL

On Selection Sunday, everyone quickly threw the Cardinals into the Final Four, they were clamoring for a No. 1 seed and talking repeat. Now? They barely beat 13th-seeded Manhattan, couldn’t score for 34 minutes against Saint Louis and now get a Kentucky team that has won five of the last six meetings. That doesn’t smell like things are trending in the right direction.

15. San Diego State

The Aztecs play great defense, but can they score enough to beat Arizona? They are 196th in the country in points per game (70.6) which is third-lowest among teams remaining, ahead of only defensive squads Florida (200th, 70.4) and Virginia (284th, 66.4).

16. Dayton

It speaks to the level of upsets that Dayton is last on this list. Any team that beats Ohio State and Syracuse belongs. But we wonder if the Flyers can keep up their up-tempo offense against Stanford. Of course, the team we reseeded at the bottom last year was Wichita State, so what do we know?